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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

What's on

Friday 26 May – Sunday 28 May 2023

Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman
Hugh Jackman

At ease

In Gallery One

Exhibition closes 27 August

Enjoy, sit back, and relax with some of our favourites from the Gallery’s collection, where they find themselves expertly – and comfortably – captured by their artists.

Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo
Portrait23: Identity logo

Portrait23: Identity

Exhibition closes 18 June

Portraiture. Not as you know it. We invite you to stretch, push, resist and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa
Four works from Happy Australian, 2022 Vipoo Srivilasa

Portrait 23: Identity tour

11:15am, Fri 10 Mar until Fri 16 Jun

Join us in the Gallery for a free 30-minute tour of Portrait23: Identity, as we stretch, push and transcend portraiture’s conventional constraints.

Bookings available
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)
Play on (A portrait of Neale Daniher)

Collection Highlights Tour

2:15pm, Daily until Sun 31 Dec

Take a 30 minute tour of the Portrait Gallery exploring the collection and the building.

Bookings available
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard
Marea Gazzard

The Iconoclasts

In Gallery Three

Exhibition open every day

Australian portraiture of the mid-twentieth century was rich with the influence of European modernism, exemplified by the work of artists including Arthur Boyd, Judy Cassab and Clifton Pugh.

Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley
Mary Chomley

The Cosmopolitans

In Gallery Two

Exhibition closes 31 March

Spanning the 1880s to the 1930s, this collection display celebrates the innovations in art – and life – introduced by the generation of Australians who travelled to London and Paris for experience and inspiration in the decades either side of 1900.

A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil
A boy drawing on paper with a pencil

Art Cart

10:00am, Wed 3 May until Sun 18 Jun

Ponder your place in the world and reflect on your own identity by making your own ‘me tree’.

The family
The family
The family
The family

Little Faces

9:30am, Fri 26 May

This autumn, join a Learning Facilitator to look at the portrait “The Family” by Charles Blackman to explore ­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­colour, patterns and faces through movement, singing and crafty play.

Bookings required
Alter Ego
Alter Ego
Alter Ego
Alter Ego

Alter Ego

An Evening of Other!

6:30pm, Fri 26 May

Join us for Alter Ego: An Evening of Other! This 18+ late-night event is curated and produced by Kat Dopper of Heaps Gay, Queer Agency and Summer Camp Festival fame.

Bookings required
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman
Deborah Mailman

Reconciliation Week highlights tours

Be a Voice for Generations

2:15pm, Sat 27 May until Sat 3 Jun

To celebrate Reconciliation Week, our free highlights tours will focus on some remarkable, resilient and inspirational Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in the collection, exploring our shared histories, cultures and achievements.

Bookings available

More events

Monday 29 May – Wednesday 31 May 2023
© National Portrait Gallery 2023
King Edward Terrace, Parkes
Canberra, ACT 2600, Australia

Phone +61 2 6102 7000
ABN: 54 74 277 1196

The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

This website comprises and contains copyrighted materials and works. Copyright in all materials and/or works comprising or contained within this website remains with the National Portrait Gallery and other copyright owners as specified.

The National Portrait Gallery respects the artistic and intellectual property rights of others. The use of images of works of art reproduced on this website and all other content may be restricted under the Australian Copyright Act 1968 (Cth). Requests for a reproduction of a work of art or other content can be made through a Reproduction request. For further information please contact NPG Copyright.

The National Portrait Gallery is an Australian Government Agency